Number-displaying device.



G. A. JEN NER.

NUMBER DISPLAYING DEVIGB. iiPPLIOATION I'ILBD JAN.27, 191&

- Patented Aug. 18, 191 1 GorgeJenner (DFFTGE GEORGE A. JENNER, OF SAN ANTONIO, CLTIEXAS.

NUMBER-DISPLAYING DEVICE.

il,ll7,525.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. JENNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Number-Displaying Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others sklled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

- This invention relates to improvements in illuminated signs and particularly to illuminated number displaying devices for ve hicles.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having an improved construction and arrangement of number holding frame and reflector casing Whereby the sign and reflector are protected and automatically cleaned of dirt from within, and which may be applied to the tail or side light of a vehicle, and said light employed for illuminating the number or sign.

Another object is to provide a peculiar disposition of the refiectors so that the light shining from the lamp Will pass along the length of the casing, then be thrown back obliquely onto the rear reflectors, and by them be deflectecl forward onto the number ate.

- Another object is to provide a device of this character which Will be simple, strong, durable and inexpensive in Construction, efficient in operation and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of Construction, and the combin'ation and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figur-e 1 is a perspective View of a vehicle lamp showing the invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a det-ail perspective View of the refiector casing and a sign holding frame with the sign removed; Fig. 3 is a Vertical cross sectional View of the refiector casing and sign holding :treme and through the refiector and sign plates therein; F ig. 4: is an enlarged longitudinal section of the inner end of the reflector casing showing more clearly the means for holding the reflectors in position therein; Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the refiector casing showing more clearly the Speciflcation of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 27, 1913.

Patented Aug il& i leh Serial No. '744,526.

Construction of the outer end thereof; Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of the mirror holding bar which fastens the inner edges of the mirror in the casing; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of the mirror casing and sign holding frame showing the latter hinged at its upper edge to the mirror casing.

In the embodiment of the invention T provide a mirror casing 1 which is preferably triangular in cross section or has its rear walls' or sides inclined from their., front edges toward the center of the rear side of the casing as shown. The open front side of the casing is preferably of rectangular oblong shape and the inner end 2 of the casing is triangular and has therein a light opening 3 which' is sirrounded by a longitudinally extending tapered socket 4 adaptecl to be engaged with andsecured over an openin in one side of a lamp 5 as clearly shown n Fig. 1 of the drawings. The opposite or outer end 6 of the mirror casing is rearwardly and outwardly inclined.

Arranged in and suitably secured to the inner surfaces of the inclined rear sides of the casing are reflecting plates 7 which are preferably in the form of glass mirrors or may be constructed of any suitable material capable of receiving and maintaining a high polish. The mirror plates 7 at their front edges are supported and fastened in position in the casing by hook shaped clips 8 which are soldered or otherwise rigidly secured to the inner surfaces of the rear sides of the casing, and at their rear edges the plates 7 are fastened in position by a longitudnally disposed angle iron bar 9 having therein Slots 10 which, when the bar 9 is placed in position against the outer surfaces of the inner edges of the mirror plates, receive fastening loops or staples 11 which are Secured to the inner surfaces of the corner formed by the engaging rear ends of the rear sides of the casing as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The looped outer ends of the staples ll project a slight distance beyond the bar 9. and engaged with said looped cnds of the staples are angular keys 12 which lock the bar 9 in place to support the inner cnds of the mirror plates.

It Will be noted that the mirror plates terminate a short distance from the inner end of the casing, thus obviating any danger of the heat from the lamp cracking or the smoke blacking the mirror plates. In order I to hold the mirror plates 7 against longitudinal movement in the casing which would be permitted by constructing the mirrors of less length than the casing, the bar 9 has formed on the end'thereof adjacent to the inne-r ends of the nirror plates ofi'set inwardly extending stop lugs 13 which engage the inner ends of the mirror plates 7 as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and thus hold the plates against longitudinal movement in the casing. Engaged with the rearwardly and outwardly inclined outer end of the casing is a triangular end mirror or refiecting plate 1 1 which, owing to its angle to the aXis of the casing, refiects the light enter-ing the casing through the opening 3, back onto the mirror plates 7 on the rear sides of the casi'ng whence it is thrown onto the sign or number plate 15 coverng the front open side of the reflector casing. i.

The number plate '15 may be of any suitable material but is preferably a glass plate painted or suitably colored to form an opaque or dark background which surrounds the numbers or other characters'. The latter may be painted in light colors so as to be readily observed in the day time against the dark background or to be illuminated at night by the light refiected therethrough from within the mirror casing, but I do not wish to be confined in this respect and by the term number plate as used herein I desire to be understood as covering any member of plate shape hearing any kind of characters which are visible by day or night.

The number plate 15 may be secured or supported in position over the front open side of the casing in any suitable manner, said plate being preferably engaged with a channel shaped frame 16 which may be formed integral with or rigidly secured to the front edges of the reflector casing as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 'of the drawings in which instance the upper end of the frame is omitted and the number plate adapted to be slipped downwardly in the channel shaped sides of the frame and into engagement with the lower bar thereof whereby the number plate is firmly but removably held in position over the front open side of the reflector casing.

In Fig. 7 of the drawing is shown a slightly different form and arrangement of number plate supporting frame 17. In this instance the frame 17 is hingedly secured to the upper front edge of the refiector casing and is adapted to be swung upwardly to an open position as is indicated in Fig. 7 of the drawngs. Then swung downwardly to a closed position the frame 17 may be fastened by a spring catch 18 or in any other suitable manner.

Attention is directed to the fact that with the construction shown in Fig. 1 where the number plate rises vertically as well as with the Construction shown in Fig. 7 where the number 'plate is hinged along its upper edge, any dirt which accumulates within the interier of the casing will tend to fall out of it because the lower wall of the refleotor is inclined toward the front. It will automatically jiggle out behind the hinged door, and if it accumulates along the bottom of the fixed number plate shown in Fig. 1 the plate may be lifted a little from time to time. It is well known to those who have used lamps of this kind that soot as well as dirt accumulates within the lamp so that the numbers as well as the mirrors or reflectors become fogged, and this also will fall out as described or at'least will accumulate below the line of the numbers.

By constructing and arranging my improved number displaying device as herein shown and described it-will be seen that the number may be readily seen in the day time as well as-at night and by arranging the refiectors as herein shown and described the latter may be readily removed when broken or injured and new reflector plates substituted therefor.

'From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the Construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more eXtended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of Construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a number displaying device, a pair of rectangular refiectors with their rear edges standing substantially in contact ona horizontal line and their bodies dverging from each other forward of said line, and an outer triangular reflector whose rear edges are substantially in contact with the outer ends of the other refiectors and whose front edge stands flush with their front edges, its body standing in a plane oblique to said line; combined with a metallic casing inclosing and supporting said refiectors and having means for admitting light at that end opposite the outer reflector, and a light-pervous angle to the axis of said casing and whose rezr etlges unite With the euter ends ot' Sflltl rear walls, and refiecwrs on the inner faces of the enll and rem' walis, fer the purpose set forth.

in a nuinlwr tlisplaying le\'ice the coinhinatien with n metallie easinr substantilly lriangular in cross section and` having an open front an l eenvergin rear mills, a relleewr :uljacent the innei' face of its out-er entl Walh and a socket opening thro'n'h its inner eml wail aul adaptel to atlnit light froni a lanip; ot' a ii g'ht-pervious number plate over the open front of sail casing, and refieetors Secured. to the inner faces of said rear walls and extenaling froni the outer end \"vall to ;t point near to but spaced from the inner entl of the easing for the purpose set forth.

4. In a number (lispl'aying tlevice, the cmnl inatitm with a casin ot' substanlially triang'lar cross section hetime a closed enter end and :in opening: through its inner end atlaptetl te adinit light froni a lainp, and a light-pervious number plate emerin:: the open front of the casing; ot' clips projeeting froni atljac nt the front edges ot the een- Verging rear walls et' saill easing, .loops prejecting *t'ron the angle beturen th walls, an ;ngular strip having Slots pas. ing;- over szitl loops and stop let's at' its inner end,

keys through said loops renovably holding the strip in plana, and mirror plates each Secured :lt its rear edge by said strip and at its front edge by a pair of said clips and with its inner end resting against one of said stop lugs and spaced a Slight distance froni the inner end of the casing.

ii. In a number clisplaying device, the eon'hinatien With a casinp of substantially triangular cross section having; a closed outer emt and an opening through its inner end atlapted to aclmt light froni a hnnp, and a light-pervous number plate cover-ing the open trent of the casing; of clips projectin treni atljacent the front edges of the con- Verging rear walls ot' said easing. loeps projeeting froni the angle between these Walls, an angular strip having Slots passing over said loops, keys through said loops removahly holding the strip in place. and mirror platcs each Secured at its rear edge by said strip and at its front, edge by a pair ot said clips.

In testiinony whereof I have hereunto set niy hand in presence of tWo subscrihing Witnesses.

GECHGE A. JENNER.

lVitnesses EmvARn Fri-ue JOHN Dnnns. 

